Contact-box for electric railways.



No. 650,929. Patented June 5, I900.

A. Dl-ATTO.

CONTACT BOX FDR ELECTRIC BAILWAYS.

(Application filed July 80, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES ALFREDO DIATTO,

OF ITURIN, ITALY.

CONTACT-BOX FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,929, dated June 5, 1900.

Application filed July 30, 1898.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFREDO DIATTO, electrical engineer, a subject of the King of Italy, and a resident of Turin, Italy, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Contact-Boxes for Electrical Railways or Tramways with Underground Conductors, (for which I have obtained a patentin Italy,dated May 24, 1898, No. 47,039,) of which the following is a specification.

My present invention refers to certain improvements in the contact-boxes of electrical railways or tram ways with underground conductors, and has for its object to protect the contact-pieces from becoming wet or damp, and thus avoid leakage of current and other drawbacks occasioned thereby.

The invention is more particularly suitable for that system of electrical railways or tramways with underground conductors described in my United States Patent No. 550,319.

In order that my said invention may be more fully understood, I will proceed to describe same, with reference to the annexed drawing, which is a central vertical section of the inner part of a contact-box comprising my said improvements.

1" is the mercury-cup, and near its top it is provided with an annular cup r, concentric with the extension (1 of the partial conductor 0, which is partially filled with a sealing liquid y. g indicates the mercury contained in the cup 0'. A bell O, of any suitable non-conducting material, such as india-rubber, is fitted over and covers the said conductor 0, with which it is concentric, and its lower end dips to a suitable extent in the liquid y contained in the annular cup r, so as to form a hydraulic joint. It will thus be seen that the contact-pieces c d are inclosed in an air-proof space, and are thereby protected against the dampness of the atmospheric air. The bell C may be provided with an annular rim 0 to stand over the annular cup 1" and protect it from the water that may run down from the bell or the cover of the box 70.

The operation of contacts 0 d of the device hereinabove described is substantially the same as that of the corresponding parts set forth in my prior United States patent hereinabove referred to, and therefore the operation need not be again described here.

The liquid 1 should be of such nature as Serial No. 687,322. (No model.)

not to be subject to freeze and to be capable of absorbing any air-vapor that may be contained within the bell, and I have found that glycerin answers the purpose very satisfactorily.

It is obvious that the form and arrangement of the various parts may be varied with out departing from the gist of my invention and that the same is not limited to the par ticular form and arrangement described and illustrated.

I claim-- 1. In a contact-box for electrical railways or tramways with underground conductors,

the combination of a mercury-cup r, mercury therein, a contact-piece extending within the mercury and having an extension projecting above the cup, an annular cup 7" on the cup 4', concentric with the extension of the contact-piece, a sealing liquid as described contained within the cup 0*, a bell O of non-conducting material arranged over and covering .the contact-piece and having its lower end dipping within the liquid in cup r, and a second contact-piece covered by the bell C and confined within the closed space of the latter above the first contact-piece, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a contact-box for electrical railways or tramways with underground conductors, the combination of a mercury-cup r, mercury therein, a contact-piece extending within the mercury and having an extension projecting above the cup, an annular cup 7* on the cup 1", concentric with the extension of the contact-piece, a sealing liquid as described contained within the cup 1', a bell O of non-conducting material arranged over and covering the contact-piece and having its lower end dipping within the liquid in cup 0", a second contact-piece covered by the bell O and confined within the closed space of the latter above the first contact-piece, and an annular rim 0 on the bell extending over and beyond the cup 1", all as and for the purposes specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFREDO DIATTO.

Witnesses:

RAFFAELE Rossn, ANDREA FoLETTI. 

